NEWS

[Forbes] Seoul Ranks 8th out of 181 in the World's 'Smartest' Cities

Date 2016-07-08 Writer ssunha

Seoul ranks second in Technology, 8th in overall indicators.

Get more information and Read more ►(http://www.forbes.com/sites/iese/2016/07/06/the-worlds-smartest-cities/#13bd117f4899)

Despite being responsible for the generation of 80% of wealth worldwide, cities are facing big global challenges: economic, demographic, social and environmental. It is vitally important our cities are able to meet and overcome them; by some estimates, 70% of the world’s population will live in cities by 2050, meaning that sustainable, livable world cities are essential for a prosperous future.  So which cities are currently getting it right, and which ones are lagging behind?

Unlike most other rankings which focus on one area (such as how cities perform in relation to technology or the environment), the annual IESE Cities in Motion index examines all aspects that  make up sustainability and quality of life in 181 key world cities.  Under the direction of IESE profs Pascual Berrone and Joan Enric Ricart, the index takes into account 77 indicators,  covering 10 distinct dimensions of urban life: the economy, technology, human capital, social cohesion, international outreach, the environment, mobility and transportation, urban planning, public management and governance. To top the list, a city must perform well across a range of metrics, not just excel in one area. There is also no room for complacency, as even the highest ranked cities have areas for improvement.

The World’s Smartest Cities: Top Ten

According to the index, New York (U.S.), London (U.K.), and Paris (France) are the three world cities who perform the best across a variety of metrics. New York ranks first in Economy, third in Technology and fourth in Human Capital, Public Management, Government, International Outreach and Mobility and Transportation. However, it still performs poorly in regards to Social Cohesion, in which it ranks 161st out of 181. This dimension is also one of the biggest weaknesses of London (129th) and Paris (91st). Social cohesion measures inequality, unemployment rate, prices of property and the ratio of women workers, among others. It is an area where our world cities need to do better on.